1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to curtain structures and more particularly is directed towards an improved pass-through weather curtain for use across garage door openings and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many types of buildings such as gasoline service stations, automobile garages, warehouses, truck depots, and the like, it is frequently necessary that the doorway be kept open during normal working hours or for extended periods in order to allow vehicles and personnel to move freely in and out of the building. In automobile service stations and garages, for example, the doorways usually are quite large to accommodate the vehicle and, typically, overhead doors are used. These doors normally are kept raised for long periods of time because of the inconvenience involved in opening and closing the doors each time a vehicle has to pass through. However, because of the large size of the doorway, it is extremely difficult during cold weather to maintain a comfortable temperature level within the building. Similar problems occur in the hot weather where the building is air conditioned, since even if the door is opened and closed quickly there is a large loss of heat in the winter and air conditioned air in the summer each time the door is operated.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,331,425 there is disclosed a pass-through curtain having a relatively large, single upper panel mounted by upper and lower transverse rods to the upper portion of the doorway opening. A few relatively large lower panels are detachably connected and freely suspended along the lower edge of the upper panel and through which vehicles may pass. A pulley system is provided to raise and lower the curtain to accommodate large trucks and the like.
While the curtain in the above-identified patent functioned reasonably well in calm weather, the lower panels were susceptible to sailing or billowing in and out during windy weather, with the result that the intended purpose of the curtain was defeated. Also, the rod arrangement and pulley system tended to be somewhat cumbersome and expensive.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved pass-through weather curtain for use across doorways and the like.
Another object of this invention is to provide a transparent, substantially draft-free barrier which permits the free movement of solid objects therethrough.
A further object of this invention is to provide a simple, low cost, pass-through curtain that is highly resistant to displacement by wind.